Switching mechanism.



C. P. NACHOD.

SWITCHING MECHANISM. APPLICAHON man APR. 3 m1.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- muemtoa C. P. NACHOD.

SWITCHING MECHANlSM.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 1911.

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Cir UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL P. NACHOD, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR T0 NACHOD SIGNAL COM- IANY, INC., A CORPORATI N OF NEW YORK' Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

Original application filed September 18, 1914, Serial No. 862,264. Divided and this application filed, April 3, 1917, Serial NO- 59, 97.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, Carr. 1.. Nnonoo, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Louisville, county of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, ha ve invented a new and useful Switching h'l echanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switching mechanism wherein, the closure or opening of an electric circuit or plurality of electric circuits is effected in response to different relative angular positions assumed by members stepped or otherwise rotated in lik directions.

Switching mechanism of the above-described character may be utilized for controlling a circuit or circuits for any purposes, and my invention finds one of its ap plications in railway signaling, as set forth in my co-pendino; application Serial Number 862,264, filed September 18, 1914, upon which issued Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,225,736; and this application is a division from the aforesaid application.

For an illustration of one of the various forms my invention may take, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing one example of switching mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line AA of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, some parts in elevation, taken on the line C-C of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, some parts in plan, taken on the line EE of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, some parts in elevation, taken on the line DD of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, parts in elevation, taken on the line B-B of Fi 1.

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view ofa modified form of one of the controlled switches.

Referring to the drawings, each of the solenoids S and C, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, has a movable core 43, whose attraction is opposed by a spring 44, a rod being connected with the core 43 and carrying a member 46 upon which is pivoted at 47 the dog or pawl 48 adapted to engage the ratchet or toothed wheel 49 to step the same around one notch each time the cOre 43 is attracted. Or any equivalentarrangement may be used in which the wheel 49 is stepped around by the action. of the solenoid. In Fig. l the toothed wheel for the solenoid S is indicated at 50, its actuating dog or pawl at 51 and the member to which the latter is pivoted is indicated at 52.

In the brackets 53, 53, Fig. 2, is secured the non-rotatable shaft 54 upon which the ratchet 0r toothed wheels 49 and are rotatable. The ratchet wheel 49 is secured to the driving clutch member 55 between whose sections are movable longitudinally of the shaft 54 the driven clutch member 56 secured to or a part of the cam member 57, (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5), a spring 58 holding the cam member 57 toward the right in the position shown in Fig. 2, and opposing the movement of said cam member 57 toward the left. Embracing the circular rib 59 on the cam member 57 are the strap members 60, 60 secured to each other by the screws 61. Pivoted to the members 60, 60 by screws 62, ($2 1s the member 63 in the form of a j aw upon the upper end of the rod 64-, the latter pivoted at 65 in brackets 66, suitable lost motion being allowed at one or the other of the pivotal connections to allow the rod 64 to swing to the right nd left as viewed in Fig. 1 without binding or locking. At the lower end of the rod 64 is provided a plate or extension 67 to which is secured by screws 68, 68 a plate 69 of insulating material to which are secured the movable switch contacts 12, 20, 26 and 32 cotiperating with the stationary contacts supported by the stationary insulating member 70.

Disposed beside the cam member 57, and rotatable upon the shaft 54, is the disk or member 71 secured to the ratchet or notched wheel 50 of solenoid S. A pivot pin or screw 72 pivots the roller 73 to a flattened portion of the periphery of member71, the roller 73 normally engaging in the cam surface or depression 74 in the member 57, which latter has a lug 7 5 while the member 71 has a corresponding lug 76, the lugs 75 and 76 adapted to engage each other to limit the relative rotation of members 57 and 71 with respect to each other.

Rotatable in fixed relation with the ratchet wheel 50, actuated by the solenoid S, is the alternating switch which comprises the me tallic disk or wheel 38 insulated from and secured by screws 77 to the flange 78 rotatable with the wheel 50. Extending to one side of disk 38 are the contact lugs 39 being staggered with respect to lugs 40, the contact 37 being in electrical communication with all the contact lugs all the time, while brushes or contacts 11 and -12 engage respectively and alternately the contactlugs 39 and -l-O, so that as the wheel is rotated electrical connection is made through brush 37 first with brush 11, then with brush 12, and then again with brush L, and so on alternately.

is shown in Figs. 1 and 6, these brushes are supported upon the insulating member 79.

Or the alternating switch may take the form shown in Fig. 7 where the contact 37 is stationary and held by or constituting a part of the bracket 80 secured to the base 81 of insulating material. Upon this base of insulating material the contacts 4:1 and i2 are supported respectively on the ends of the levers 82 and 8-3 pivoted to the base 81, a spring 84:, insulated from one or both of said levers, beino normally under tension to draw said levels toward each other. On these levers are pivoted the rollers 85, 86 adapted to engage the star wheel 87 driven by the ratchet wheel 50. As the star wheel rotates it withdraws one of the movable contacts from engagement with the stationary contact and allows the spring to bring the other into engagement with the station ary contact, these movable contacts alternately engagin the stationary contact, there being a change for each step of movement of the ratchet wheel 50.

lihen the solenoids C and S are energized they move their ratchet wheels a9 and 50 one notch, thereby rotating the members 57 and 71 a like distance in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The parts are normally in the position indicated in Fig. 1. it, however, the solenoid S only is ener ized the member '71 only will be stepped rorward and this will cause the roller 7 3 to thrust a ainst and ride up upon the cam surface 7-1 of member 57 until the roller 7 3 bears upon the lateral face of the disk or member 5'". This movement causes a longitudinal movement of the member 57 with respect to the shaft 5st, this movement being in opposition to spring 58 and carries the member 60 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, which accordingly tilts the lever 64 about its pivot 65 in a counter-clockwise direction, causing the switch to move from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to the position in which the'contact 26 engages the contact 25., It, now, the solenoid C is energized and steps member 57 around, but not asmany steps as the member 71 has been stepped, the switch will remain in the position last described, namely, with contact 26 in en gagement with contact If, however, the number of energizations of solenoid C should become equal to the number of energizations of the solenoid S, the member 57 will have overtaken the member 71 and will have returned to the relative position indicated in Fig. 1, under influence of spring 58, because the cam notch 71 will have come opposite the roller 73. This return movement causes the separation of contact 26 from contact 25 and shifts the bar 61 and the switch back to the normal position indicated in Fig. 1.

By this construction the switch member 6-1 is shifted only upon an excess of energizat-ions of one of the solenoids over the number of energizations of the other. The switch member 6a; is shifted only upon an excess mo ement of one of the ratchets over the other and is independent of the actual angular position of the two ratchet's or the two members 57 and 71. And by the con struction above described the magnets or solenoids S and C are enabled to make their strokes o movements independently of each other either simultaneously or dissimultaneously and without conflict.

And after a predetermined excess movement by one of the ratchet wheels, the lugs 75 and 76 will engage and prevent further relative movement between members 57 and 71. That is, when one of the ratchet wheels has been stepped ahead of the other a predetermined number of steps, further actuation of that ratchet wheel will cause both members 71 and 57 to continue movement as a unit, leaving the switching member Gib in the position to which last actuated. Vere this positive drive of member 57 by member 71 not afiorded, further excess movement of the member 57 beyond a predetermined amount would bring the parts back to their normal position indicated in Fig. 1, which would cause improper return oi member 6-1- to its normal position. By the positive drive, however, this is avoided, and member 6% will not be returned to its normal position until the member 57 has caught up with the member 71 to occupy a relative position indicated in Fig. 1.

lVith the parts in the normal position indicated in Fig. 1, the lug 75 is about to engage lug 76, and should the solenoid C be energized before solenoid S, lug 75 would engage lug 76 and cause member 71 to move with member 57, thereby maintaining the switch member 64: in its normal position indicated in Fig. 1.

In the example illustrated, the movable contact 26 carried by member (id is adapted to engage the stationary contacts 24, 25; movable contact 12 is adapted to engage stationary contacts 10 and 11.; movable contact 20 is adapted to engage stationary contacts 18 and 19 5 and movable contact 32 is adapted to engage stationary contacts 30, 31. From this it will be understood that a plurality of circuits for any desired purpose is controlled by these switches simultaneously actuated or controlled by the member 64,

-which in turn is controlled by the hereinbefore described mechanism. And it will be understood that circuits for any desired purpose are controlled by the contacts 41, 42 cooperating with the rotary contacts 39, 40 actuated in. unison with the member 71.

By the hereinbefore described structure, not only may a single circuit be controlled by movement of the member G l, but a plurality of independent circuits may be simultaneously controlled, as described; and where a plurality of independent circuits is to be simultaneously controlled, my structure is of special advantage because of its relative simplicity.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with associated rotatable co-axial members, of means for rotating said members independently of each other, one of said members forcing the other longitudinally upon excess rotation of one of said members, and switching mechanism controlled by said longitudinally movable member.

2. The combination with associated rotary step-by-step mechanisms, of a member in one of said mechanisms having a cam surface, a member in another of said mechanisms adapted to engage said cam surface, said first named member being movable longitudinally upon excess movement of one of said members over the other, and switching mechanism whose movable element is connected with said longitudinally movable member.

3. The combination with associated stepby-step mechanisms comprising members rotatable in. the same direction, of means for causing one of said members to move longitudinally upon excess movement of one of said step-by-step mechanisms, means causing said rotatable members to move in unison after predetermined excess movement by one of them, and switching mechanism controlled by said longitudinally movable member.

4. The combination with associated rotatable co-axial members, of means for rotating said members independently of each other, one of said members forcing the other longitudinally upon excess rotation of one of said members, a pivoted movable contact member, and a connection between said contact member and said longitudinally movable member whereby said contact member is moved upon its pivot.

5. The combination with associated memhere rotatable in the same direction, of a member movable longitudinally upon excess rotative movement of one of said members, means causing said members to rotate in unison after predetermined excess rotative movement. of one of said members, and.

switching imml'ianisi'n controlled by said longitudinally movable member.

6. The combination with associated members rotatable in the same direction, one of said members having a cam surface, means carried by another of said members for engaging said cam surface to actuate said one of said members longitudinally upon excess rotative movement, and switching mechanism controlled by said longitudinally movable member.

7 The combination with associated members rotatable in the same direction, one of said members having a cam surface, means carried by another of said members for engaging said cam surface to actuate said one of said members longitudinally upon excess rotative movement, switching mechanism controlled by said longitudinally movable member, and rotatable switching mechanism movable in unison with said other of said members.

8. The combination with associated rotatable co-axial members, of means for rotating said members independently of each other, one of said members having a cam surface, a roller pivoted on another of said members and engaging said cam surface to actuate said one of said members longitudinally upon excess rotative movement, and switching mechanism actuated in response to longitudinal movement of said one of said members.

9. The combination with associated coaxial rotatable members, of step-by-step mechanism for each of said members for rotating said members independently of each other, means on one of said members engaging the other for moving it longitudinally upon excess rotation of one of said members with respect to the other, and a movable member of switching mechanism actuated by said longitudinally movable member.

10. The combination with rotatable coaxial disks disposed side by side, of means for rotating said disks independently of each other, means on one of said disks forcing the other longitudinally upon excess movement of one of said disks over the other, and a movable member of switching mechanism actuated by said longitudinally movable disk.

11. The combination with rotatable coaxial disks disposed side by side, one of said disks having a cam surface, of a member carried by the other of said disks engaging said cam surface and moving said first named member longitudinally upon excess movement of one of said disks over the other, and a pivoted contact member of switching mechanism actuated by said longitudinally movable disk.

12-. The combination with rotatable coaxial disks disposed side by side, of means for rotating said disks independently of each other, means on one of said disks forcing the other longitudinally upon excess movement of one of said disks over the other, a movable member of switching mechanism actuated by said longitudinally movable disk, and means causing said disks to rotate in unison after predetermined excess rotative movement of one of them.

13. The combination with rotatable co- Gopiu of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

axial disks disposed side by side, one of said disks having a cam surface, of a member carried by the other of said disks engaging said cam surface and moving said first named member longitudinally upon eX- cess movement of one of said disks over the other, a pivoted contact member of switching mechanism actuated by said longitudinally movable disk and means causing said disks to rotate in unison after predetermined excess rotative movement of one of them.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 30th day of March,

CARL P. NACHOI).

Commissioner of Patents, 

